Boehner announces election date for his replacement

House Speaker John Boehner announced that the election for his replacement will take place Oct. 8.

"After consulting with our conference, a large majority of our members have made clear they want these elections held next week," Boehner, who will leave Congress on Oct. 30, said in a written statement on Wednesday. "With their considerations in mind, the House leadership elections will take place on Thursday, October 8."

Boehner's surprise announcement last Friday that he would resign set off a scramble inside the House GOP conference for a new leadership team.

The No. 2 House Republican, Rep Kevin McCarthy, R-California, is the front-runner for the speakership, but an intensely competitive battle for his job as Majority Leader is in full swing.

Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the current No. 3 Republican leader, is running against House Budget Chairman Tom Price of Georgia, but continued unrest among House conservatives makes it unclear whether another candidate might join the race.